Introduction:

In a significant turn of events, the Punjab & Haryana High Court uncovered a false affidavit submitted by prison authorities regarding an inmate assault case. The Court observed that the affidavit denied any inmate beating incident despite evident CCTV footage showing a person being assaulted by jail officials. This led the Court to summon top prison officials and eventually unfold a defective internal inquiry into the matter.

Arguments of Both Sides:

The petitioner’s counsel highlighted the alleged assault on Harinder Pal Singh, a prisoner facing a life sentence in a murder case, and sought judicial intervention. Conversely, the state’s representative initially refuted the incident’s occurrence but later admitted to the lapses in the internal investigation.

Court’s Judgment:

Justice N.S. Shekhawat scrutinized the CCTV footage presented by the petitioner’s counsel, explicitly displaying an inmate being beaten by jail officials, contrasting the false affidavit’s claims. Subsequently, the Court summoned the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) and Deputy Inspector General of Prisons to address the apparent contradictions.

In response, the ADGP (Prisons) submitted a revised report, highlighting the inadequacies of the earlier inquiry and identifying the involved jail officials. The inquiry emphasized the severe beating inflicted on Harinder Pal Singh, leading to his solitary confinement without sustenance.

The Court deemed the initial affidavit as false and directed strict disciplinary actions against the Superintendent and other officials for their roles in concealing facts and mishandling the investigation.